Probability (Introduction of Probability) This probability scale tells us that the chance of

occurrence of any Event A is only between zero

Sample Space -is the collection of all possible to one.
outcomes of an experiment. If the experiment is
rolling a dice, the sample space is the set (odd, 2. A card is drawn at random from a standard
odd), (odd, even), (even, odd), (even, even). deck of 52 cards. Find the probability of the
following:
Probability – Is a branch of mathematics that
explains the randomness and uncertainty of a. Drawing an ace
situation and condition in a systematic and b. Drawing a red card
logical manner. It is the chance of occurrence of c. Drawing a heart
an event or the likelihood for an event to take d. Drawing a king
place. e. Drawing a black queen

Events- is the desired outcome of an Solution:

experiment.
a. Since there are four aces in the entire
Experiment- is a process that produces deck, we have
outcome which can be random or not.
4 1
Pr ace = =
Experimental Probability- is the ration of the 52 13
number of times an outcome of an event had
b. Since there are two suits of red color,
occurred to the total number of trials made.
then their area 26 possible cards to
Formula: Pr(event)= draw; hence,
number of ×an event occured
total number of trials 26 1
Pr red card= =
52 2
Theoretical probability is the ratio of the
c. Since there are 13 cards that has a
number of ways an outcome can occur to be
heart as it suits, we have
number of all possible outcomes.
13 1
EXAMPLE: Pr heart= =
52 4
1. Experiment: (Roll two dice) and have Event:
d. Sine there are four kings in the deck, we
(both odd numbers turn up)
have
Pr( both odd number) =
4 1
n(both odd numbers for two dice) Pr(king)= =
52 13
n(roll two dice)
e. Since there are two queens that are
3 x3 9 1
Pr= Pr= Pr= black in the color, we have
6 x6 36 4
2 1
Pr(A) = 0 -This means that there is no chance Pr black queen= =
52 26
that event A will occur.
3. Three coins are tossed. Find the probability of
Pr(A) = 0.5- This means that there is 1 chance
getting at least two heads.
out of 2 that Event A will occur. This chance of
success is half. Solution: The possible outcomes are as follows:
HHH, HHT, HTT, TTT, TTH, THH, THT, HTH Since
Pr(A) = 1 -This means that Event A will occur
we need the probability of getting two heads,
each time that experiment is done.
we will get all the outcomes that have two are
more heads. These are HHH, HHT, THH and
HTH. Thus,
 4 1 b. Pr 4 or 2 or 9 = =4/52+4/52+4/52=
Pr at least two heads = =
8 2 12/52=3/13
c. Pr red queen or black ace = 2/52+2/52=
UNION AND INTERSECTIONS OF THE EVENTS
1/13
Event is certain when it is guaranteed to
3. What is the probability of picking a red & face
happen. An event is null (∅) when it is
card from a standard deck
impossible. The probability of a certain event is
1, while a null event has a probability of 0. Experiment: Picking a card from a standard deck

Complement of an event is the opposite of the n S = 52 cards

event, denoted by placing apostrophe (‘) after
the name of the event (event’). The probability Event: There were two independent events that
of the composite of an event is defined by Pr were not mutually exclusive.
(event′) = 1 − P (event) n red card = 26 red cards
Mutually exclusive events - Are events that n face card = 12 face cards
cannot occur at the same time. These are
events with no sample point/s or outcome/s in Pr red and face = Pr (red) × Pr(face)
common.
n(red ) n(face) 26 12
Pr red and face = × = ×
-If A and B are events from a sample spaces uch n(S) n(S) 52 52
that A ∩ B = {}, (A intersection B is equal to null 312 3 3
= = There is probability of picking a
set. 2704 26 26
red face card from a standard deck.
Formula: Pr (A ∪ B) = Pr( A) + Pr(B)
4. There were five blue balls and three red balls
EX: 1.A card is drawn at random. Find the
in the first box, while there were six blue balls
probability of getting an ace or jack.
and five red balls from the second box. What is
Solution: In this problem, we can say that the the probability of getting a 3 blue balls from Box
two events are mutually exclusive because it is 1 and 2 red balls from Box 2?
not possible to draw a card that is both ace and
Experiment/s: Picking three balls from Box 1 n(3
4
jack. The probability of getting an ace is . The 8
52 balls from Box 1)=( )
3
4
probability of getting a jack .. So we have:
52 Picking two balls from Box 2 n (2 balls from Box
11
Pr ace and jack = 4/52+4/52= 8/52 =2/13 2) =( )
2
Answer: The probability of getting an ace or a
Event/s: There were two independent events
2
jack is that were mutually exclusive.
13
Picking three blue balls from Box 1 n(3 out of 5
2. If a card is drawn at random from a standard
5
deck of cards, find the probability of the balls) =( )
3
following;
Picking two red balls from Box 2 n(2 out of 5 red
a. Drawing an ace or queen or a king
5
b. Drawing a 4, 2 or 9 balls)=( )
2
c. Drawing a red queen or a black ace

Solution:

a. Pr ace or queen or king

=4/52+4/52+4/52= 12/52=3/13
 what is the probability that the number is
divisible by 6 or ends in 2?

Solution: Let A = {the number is divisible by 6}

and

B = {the number ends in 2}

We have the following simple outcomes.

A ={ 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48}

B ={ 2, 12, 22, 32, 42}

So, (A ∩ B) ={ 12,42}
Inclusive events We get the following probabilities:
- Are events that can occur at the same time. Pr(A)= 8/50
These are events with sample point/s or
outcome/s in common. If A and B are events in Pr(B)=5/50
the sample S, and A ∩ Bis not an empty set.
Pr (A ∩ B)=2/50
Mutually exclusive event – Independent
Hence, Pr A ∪ B = Pr A + Pr B − Pr(A ∩ B)
Inclusive event - Dependent
Pr (A ∩ B)=8/50 + 8/50 -2/50 =11/50
Formula: Pr (A ∪ B)= Pr (A) + Pr (B)− Pr(A ∩ B)
The probability of inclusive events can be
1.A fair of die rolled. What is the probability of extended up to three events.
getting an odd number or a factor of 6?
3. A card is drawn at random from a standard
Solution: Let A = (odd number on a die) and B= deck of cards. Find the probability of the
(factor of 6). Thus, we have the following simple following:
outcomes in each event.
a.A black card or a king
A = (1, 3, 5) and B = (1, 2, 3, 6)
b.A queen or diamond
Outcome: Pr(A)=3/6=1/2 and Pr(B)=4/6=2/3
c.A jack or a club

Hence, we can say that A ∩ B = 1,3 if we use the

principle of mutually exclusive events by adding
Pr A and Pr B , note that 1 and 3 will be counted
twice since they are present in the two events.
In order to count each outcome only once, we
can subtract Pr(A∩ B) from the sum of the
probability of the two events. Thus, Pr( A ∪ B )=
Pr (A) + Pr (B) − Pr(A ∩ B)

=1/2 + 2/3 – 1/3 = 3/5 – 1/3 = 2/2 or 1

2. Fifty balls are numbered from 1 to 50 and

placed in a box. If a ball is picked at random,